Barry Green is a writer, performer, and teacher. He served as principal bassist for the Cincinnati Symphony for 28 years and has coached hundreds of performers—not just on the practical side of playing, but on the inner game of performance. Barry is an endlessly curious and inspiring musician who’s been on a lifelong quest to explore musical mastery. He’s the perfect guest for this conversation.
What You'll Hear About
- Barry’s three books: Mastery of Music, Bringing Music to Life, and The Inner Game of Music
- How he became involved with the Inner Game and how he adapted those principles to music
- The foundational principles of the Inner Game
- How Barry has applied Inner Game principles to other professions beyond music
- The idea of relaxed concentration and how it creates optimal performance
- How to practice using Inner Game techniques
- Dealing with distraction and sharpening focus
- The importance of detail and deep attention
- The value of trust in your playing and creative work
- A close look at how Barry coaches musicians
- Core Inner Game concepts: awareness, commitment, and trust
- The aim of becoming the music—getting out of your head and into the flow
- How Barry’s deep study of the body, voice, and rhythm led to Bringing Music to Life
- Reflections on his mentor, Francois Rabbath
- The role of vulnerability in performance
- “The moment of go” — defining moments that shape your path
- A look at Barry’s project trilogy: Anna’s Promise, Anna’s Way, and Anna’s Gift
“Every time you throw something away, it frees you up to see something else.”
Big thanks to Jason Heath for the introduction to Barry.
Links
- Inner Game Official Site
- Barry’s Website
- Anna’s Promise on GIA Music
- Francois Rabbath Bio
- David Darling
- Music for People – Staff
- Libby Larsen
Anna’s Promise — Highlight Videos
🎬 2:40 Trailer – US Army Orchestra Premiere (Aug 18, 2016):
Watch here
🎬 8.5 Minute Story Highlight Video:
Watch here
🎬 Full 55-Minute Performance – SPCA Combo + Strings (Aug 12, 2016):
Watch here
🎬 Anna's Gift Trailer – University of North Texas, Eugene Corporon conducting:
Watch here
